They watched as Katniss scoured the arena to find Peeta. The girl wants him to live as well and that makes Effie and Haymitch happy. That's something about the district people that Snow will never understand. Even in the face of death, their hearts remain the same. It goes with the Career districts too. They may appear ruthless but they it's something they have to become in order to survive and in return, how many tributes have come back alive for them? Too many. It's their way of surviving and no one can fault them for that.
Finally, the girl had found Peeta inside a cave. The boy is still recovering from his injured leg but it looked better thanks to the medicine they provided him. With the new rule stating they can both survived, it easily catch on them what they need to make it happen. Katniss had leaned in and kissed Peeta.
"Now that was…"
"…not good but seems to be convincing enough", Effie finished his comment before glancing around them and saw a bunch of Capitols touched by what they saw on the screen.
They both know Katniss does not share the same feelings Peeta has for her but they're glad to know that the girl is smart enough to know what's needed to be done so they can survive both. Now, they just need to play their cards right and thred carefully.
"Be right back. Need to keep this going, yeah?" he whispered to her and she understood what he meant. She always does. It's that connection between them at works.
"Be careful", she replied and then resumed socializing with potential Sponsors.
Haymitch had sent a pot of hot broth to his tributes so Katniss can play nurse to a badly injured Peeta. As expected, the girl understood what he wants her to do and played the part. It's not much playing considering the girl does care about the boy. She's just not in love with him. He's not even sure Katniss knows what being in love means. She's too young and too naïve for that part. The important thing is she cares for the boy and that's enough to know that she will not just abandon him in that cave. They will make it out of there.
When he returned to the bar, there's no sign of Effie anywhere. That's odd considering he has a penchant for finding her in the middle of a colorful crowd. She's not there. Where else would she be? It's not like they have another appointment somewhere else. She would have told him.
From across the room, he saw Finnick staring at him with nervous eyes. His feet dragged him to the boy in an instant.
"Have you seen Trinket?" he asked.
He already has a strong feeling that's why the boy is being so nervous like a cat in the corner.
"I think she was summoned", the boy answered.
The music is loud enough. Haymitch is certain that the bugs will not hear them.
"Summoned? By whom?" he followed up.
"…by Snow", he wouldn't do that now, right? The game is still on-going and Effie is the escort of the two most popular tributes right now. He's not going to kill her. That will draw too much attention, "I saw Peacekeepers ushered her out of the bar a few minutes after you left", Finnick added.
They must have waited for him to leave before they approached her.
"Damn it", he cursed.
"Don't do anything stupid. They're not going to risk harming her at this point. Your tributes are the most popular people in the Capitol right now. They're not going to hurt their escort, especially someone as popular as Effie", Finnick reminded him.
He wants to believe that but what if Snow has gone totally crazy? What if he does not care about drawing attention at all? It's not like anyone can do something about it if he hurts Effie?
"I hope you're right, boy", is all he can say.
At the Presidential Mansion, Effie sat nervously inside Snow's office. She has no idea why she's being summoned. It's the first time she was invited inside the president's office and it's nerve wracking. She's sure that the waiting is also part of the plan to see if she's going to be on edge but pretending is her field. She can play the part of a clueless escort all day long even in front of Snow.
After a few minutes, the door opened and Snow came in.
"Mr. President", she stood up and greeted him properly.
The old man flashed her a wide grin and placed a kiss on the back of her hand.
"Ms. Trinket, I am so glad you can make it. Do sit down. We have a lot to discuss", he greeted back.
Discussion is good. Discussion means talking, right? Not dead. Talking is better than dead.
"How can I be of service, Mr. President?" she asked.
The man stared at her straight in her eyes and she knew he's trying to intimidate her but she had faced more cruel men than him. She had been brutalized and assaulted by sadistic men who have more balls than Snow to actually get their hands dirty. Snow is just someone who prefers others to do his dirty work. She can handle being stared at by him.
"You are such a fascinating woman, Ms. Trinket. Almost all of the districts want you to be on their team. You're the most sought-after escort in the history of Hunger Games but your district, District Twelve, has not produced any Victors since…well, since you were assigned there", he stated.
She smirked at that.
"…maybe that will change this season", she mentioned.
He smirked back.
"Yes, of course. It seems like the odds are in Twelve's favor this year but it's too early to tell. Now, I have been long fascinated by you, Ms. Trinket, and I couldn't help but to want to know you more. We both know what we present to the public is not the same of who we truly are", where is he going with this? "For example, Mr. Abernathy…you two seemed rather close, don't you think?" he asked.
Of course, he will go there.
"Mr. Abernathy is my Victor, Mr. President. I've worked with him for more than ten years. It's safe to assume that we're close", she answered plainly.
She has to play it cool. Being defensive will only give him what he wants.
"Of course…let me rephrase that. You and Mr. Abernathy seemed rather too close than just colleagues", he clarified.
She smiled and chuckled.
"Mr. President, I think I should be offended but I will choose not to take any offense, but rather a compliment. That assumption only states at how well we worked together but to ease up your mind, there's nothing going on between me and Mr. Abernathy other than our jobs to be there for our tributes", she responded.
It's a lie. It's all a lie but she's good at lying.
"I did not mean to make it sound insulting. I understood your family's reputation and I failed to consider that when forming that question. As I was told, your father has arranged you a proper husband, Nemo Rosehorn, isn't that right?" he asked.
If you're going to kill me after the game, that's not going to happen right? She has to hold her tongue.
"My father informed me as much", she confirmed.
"…but you have a relationship with my Head Gamemaker, Seneca Crane", he pointed out.
How did he know about that? Did Seneca already tell him about their deal or what? Maybe it's the rumor before that reached Snow.
"Mr. Crane is a good man, a kind and loving man. We were…intimate before but we both understood the nature of our jobs. He's dedicated to his job as well as I am so that brief affair must be…postponed", she laid it out carefully so there will be a basis when Seneca informed everyone about their supposed engagement after the game.
Snow hummed and studied her carefully.
"That is quite sad, Ms. Trinket. Sacrificing love and happiness for the sake of occupation. It seems to be the current theme for this game. Love. Was it your idea or Mr. Abernathy's?" he's now talking about Katniss and Peeta.
"I think it's not something anyone can formulate, Mr. President", she muttered.
Unlike everything else in the Capitol, love cannot be manufactured.
"Of course…but you spin it around with your PR skills. Mr. Abernathy is dealing his cards right based on that theme. It's quite the love story of the decade. What an interesting feat for your team, Ms. Trinket. Now, the game rules changed, allowing two Victors from the same district. I couldn't help but wonder how this change of rule has come to fruition",
He's not happy about it. He wants a sole survivor for the game but it might have been too late to act on that now.
"I thought about it long and hard and you know what I found? You…at the center of it all, it's you I found, Ms. Trinket. You're the escorts of Ms. Katniss Everdeen and Mr. Peeta Mellark. You shaped their public images with your PR skills. You branded Ms. Everdeen as the Girl on Fire and Mr. Mellark as the Loverboy pining after her. You used those images to get them the Sponsors they need and then used your…brief affair with Mr. Crane to allow the two of them to win the game. How am I doing so far, Ms. Trinket?" Snow hypothesized.
It's a good guess. He almost got it all right with the exception of Haymitch. The change of rule is Haymitch's idea but she's not going to tell him that.
"I admit to shaping the PR of my tributes because that is my job, Mr. President. With regards to your allegation that I used my history with Mr. Crane to bend the rules for my tributes, that is absolutely and completely wrong. I have no power to do such thing and I would never force Mr. Crane or persuade him to change the rules for my benefit. Whatever happened for the rules to change, I know nothing of it. I was as surprised as you and everyone else were when it was announced", she answered.
That's not a lie. She does not know what Haymitch had told Seneca that night. She only found out about it when it was announced in the morning so it was not hard for her to spit all that in Snow's face. The smug president smiled at her.
"I think that's the first truth you said to me today, Ms. Trinket. You really do know nothing as to why my Head Gamemaker decided to break the rules. Forgive my inquisition. I don't like being surprised by such changes so I have to ask around", he said.
She's surprised asking around is all Snow's doing. If he finds out about Haymitch's involvement, it will be more than just talking.
"I understand, Mr. President", she replied.
Snow got up and she quickly followed. They walked towards the door as he held her by her hand. She did her best not to recoil because it would be rude. She forced herself to think that he's just like any other Sponsors who want to get to touch her.
"Thank you for your cooperation, Ms. Trinket. It's lovely to be able to talk to you", they stopped and he took a good look at her. She felt like a freaking statue being assessed by his cruel eyes, "…such beauty. No wonder men bow at your feet, Ms. Trinket. You have a face that can tame even the wildest of beasts. Do take care. I would love to talk to you soon", he said.
She can feel the gibe of his words but she plastered a smile on her face and put on her escort mask.
"The pleasure is all mine, Mr. President. Happy Hunger Games", she replied before walking away.
When she returned at the penthouse, Haymitch is watching closely at the TV. He seemed to not hear her coming because he was startled when she touched his shoulder. There's worry in his eyes and she knows it's for her…most of it. The screen showed Katniss and Peeta fighting mutts. Another scream from another tribute can be heard which must be that boy from One. It takes forever for the mutts to leave but they did. Katniss and Peeta climbed down the Cornucopia and saw the other tribute alive but mutilated. Katniss shot an arrow on the boy's chest to spare him the agony of long and painful death.
"Oh god…they won. Did they win?" Effie asked in shock but before Haymitch can answer…
'Announcement: previous rule change has been revoked. There can only be one winner again…'